Now Streaming: Netflix Instant Alternatives To The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Belle, And Neighbors

This elegant period piece illuminates the story of Dido Elizabeth Belle, a biracial woman born to a British Admiral father and an African mother. Taken in by her aristocratic great-uncle, Dido struggles against class conflict and racism to find her own happiness and love. Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Matthew Goode, Emily Watson, and Miranda Richardson star; Amma Asante directs.

Tales set in centuries past can seem quaint and yet timeless. For more romances that are as tender as they are enviable, delve into these enchanting titles. Whether a classic story of sisterly devotion, a historical scandal, or heartbreaking story of love, these dramas will grab you by the heartstrings.

Sense and Sensibility (1995) This Academy Award-winning adaptation of Jane Austen's beloved novel stars Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet as the Dashwood sisters, two young women ready for love, but struggling to make sense of passion and romance in the Georgian Era where husband hunting was serious business. Hugh Grant and Alan Rickman co-star; Ang Lee directs.

A Royal Affair
(2012) This Oscar-nominated drama from Denmark unfurls the complicated love triangle at the center of the Danish monarchy in the 18th century. Alicia Vikander stars as Mathilde, queen of the mentally unstable King Christian VII. Theirs seems a marriage meant for disaster, but both of their lives change for the better when they befriend a physician who proves an inspiration for them both, and a lover to the former. Mads Mikkelsen co-stars; Nikolaj Arcel directs.

The Wings of the Dove (1997)
Based on the novel by Henry James, this unconventional love story is set in 1900s London. Helena Bonham Carter stars as Kate Croy, a young woman urged by her aunt to find a wealthy husband. Headstrong Kate much prefers the attention and affection of her penniless beau Merton Densher (Linus Roache). To forge a future together, the pair concoct a cruel scheme to manipulate a sweet and unsuspecting American heiress (Alison Elliott). But nothing goes according to plan. Charlotte Rampling, Alex Jennings co-star; Iain Softley directs.